1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a wave powered electrical generator utilizing the power of ocean waves to generate electricity in commercial quantities to help reduce global warming.
2. Description of the Related Art
Global warming is the change in the earth's climate resulting from greenhouse gasses emitted into the atmosphere primarily by the burning of fossil fuels. The principal cause of global warming is the generation of electricity by coal, oil and natural gas fired power plants. Worldwide, these fossil fuel power plants produce about 60% of all greenhouse gas emissions (www.sierraclub.org/globalwarming/clean energy/introduction). Domestically, such plants account for over 70% of the electricity generated in the United States (www.eia.doe.gov/neic/brochure/elecinfocard.html). If nuclear powered plants, whose radioactive waste will remain a danger to humanity for up to ten thousand years, are included, some 90 percent of the electricity generated in the US (id.) is produced by means which are a threat to the environment and the human race.
One answer to global warming is clean energy, the development of commercially viable methods of generating electricity which do not rely upon fossil or nuclear fuel. Among the sources of clean energy are hydroelectric, wind, solar, geothermal, methane and hydrogen technologies. But there is no question that the greatest potential source of clean energy on Earth is the power of ocean waves. Tapping just two-tenths of one percent of the energy available from the oceans would satisfy the current global demand for electricity (www.poemsinc.org/industry.html). This wave powered electrical generator is a new means of utilizing the power of ocean waves to generate electricity in commercial quantities.